A Strong (& Delicious) Finish

Remember my goal of cooking at least one new thing a month in 2012?  For more details, see here.  Well, I was able to meet that goal and finish the year strong with some delicious homemade gingerbread cookies, one of my very favorite types of cookie.  A friend at school shared this recipe with me, and I made a few minor adjustments.  My cousin Sarah and I had great fun making these on Christmas Eve, and all the family enjoyed eating them throughout the week.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water (*I changed this to 1/2 cup water because I wanted the cookies to be a little moister, and it worked great.)
• 1 cup molases
• 5 cups all-purpose flour (*I used slightly less than 5 full cups, but at least 4 and 1/2 cups.)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1.2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Steps:

• Beat butter and sugar at medium  speed with an electric mixer until fluffy (3-4 mins).  Stir together 1/4 cup water and baking soda until dissolved, stir in molasses.
• Combiner flour and next 4 ingredients.  Add to butter mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Shape dough into a ball, cover and chill for 1 hour.
• Roll dough to 1/4 inche thickness on a lightly floured surface.  
• Cut with cooke cutters and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  (*Time may be a little less depending on the thickness of your cookies.)

 

Pre-baking: We didn't have a cookie cutter for gingerbread men, so we made gingerbread hearts and stars. 

Just out of the oven, lightly dusted with powdered sugar, and ready to be enjoyed!

All the Poor and Powerless

Last Wednesday at church, we had our Nine Lessons and Carols service.  This special Advent service is always well-anticipated and does not disappoint.  Nine Scripture passages are interspersed between various songs, traditional and modern.  Some songs are sung by the choir, some by soloists, some by the congregation, or a combination of these.  My favorite song from the 2012 service was one that I heard for the first time.  It's called "All the Poor and Powerless," and I absolutely. love. it.  Here are the lyrics and a link to the song by All Sons and Daughters.

All the poor and powerless
And all the lost and lonely
All the thieves will come confess
And know that You are holy
And know that You are holy

And all will sing out
Hallelujah
And we will cry out
Hallelujah
All the hearts who are content
And all who feel unworthy 
And all who hurt with nothing left
Will know that You are holy

And all will sing out
Hallelujah
And we will cry out
Hallelujah

Shout it
Go on scream it from the mountains
Go on and tell it to the masses
That He is God
We will sing out
Hallelujah
And we will cry out
Hallelujah

The Humility of Christmas

"Why have we come to this odd corner of the town?" Scrooge asks the Spirit of Christmas Present as he looks around a poor street in London.

"It's Christmas here, too, you know," answers the spirit.

As I drove home last Sunday night, this scene from A Muppet Christmas Carol (my family's favorite version of the classic Dickens story) suddenly came to my mind...I was driving past one of the housing projects in town, and several of the units had Christmas lights and decorations that created a cheery sight for passers-by to enjoy.  Seeing this and remembering that "it's Christmas here, too" made my heart happy.

I was also driving home from the hospital, having just visited friends and their tiny newborn who wasn't even yet 24 hours old.  I thought about how Jesus left all the glory and power of heaven to become likewise for our sake and so that He might dwell with us.  I recalled one of the verses we had read earlier that night in church:

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name 'Immanuel' (which means, God with us)." -Matthew 1:23

As all these thoughts gently mixed in my head, I was struck with the humility of Christmas.

"My soul magnifies the Lord, 

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm; 

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

 and exalted those of humble estate;

he has filled the hungry with good things, 

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

~Luke 1:46-55

13.1

Ideas often start out in our heads as whims...some of them never go any further than that, but others gradually morph from whims to desires or dreams...and an even more select few become actual goals...

Last fall, I ran a 10K and then ran the 8 mile leg of a relay in February.  Despite attending physical therapy for my knees, the idea of running a half marathon was becoming more and more cemented in my mind as a goal and not just a whim or a dream.  I love the idea of "30 before 30" lists that several of my friends have/had, but my goal-oriented personality cringes at the thought of possibly not accomplishing all those goals.  (I know, I have issues.)  So I basically made a "1 before 30" list: run a half marathon.  I knew I had the heart and mental game to do it, but I honestly didn't know if my knees would rise to the challenge or not.

It helped tremendously that my friend Shannon also decided she wanted to run her first half marathon.  We could train together on Saturdays and keep each other going.  I'm also glad that I decided to run the Magic City Half Marathon because it meant training in the beautiful fall months of September and October, and we had great weather the day of the race.

On November 18th, 2012,  I got up at 6:00 AM.  I had chai tea, Emergen-C, a banana, and a bagel. (I have moderately low blood sugar and always have to eat before I run.)  I spent some time journaling and praying, and I felt calm and happy despite the fact that I'd had a cold and congestion for the past two weeks ... because no matter what happened that day, this was a "first-world problem" if you could even call it that.  I was paying to go run 13.1 miles for fun.  Not because I needed to walk 13 miles to a job that would pay me just enough money to feed my family a meal for that day.  Not because I needed to walk 13 miles to find clean water.  Not because I was running from danger.

And so with that perspective in mind and the theme from Chariots of Fire playing in my car, I headed off to downtown Birmingham ready to run for fun and accept with contentment whatever outcome of the race.  After a thirty minute delay due to the Powerade truck's mechanical issues, we were off at 8:30 AM.  We ran and ran and ran.  Shannon and I talked about many amusing and eclectic topics to pass the time, and I started also listening to my iPod about mile 9 for an additional boost.  Miles 8-10 were probably my hardest because we were really feeling it by then, and the end still loomed far-off in the distance.  But in the end, we made it and met our goal of running the whole time!  I also made my goal of finishing in under 2 hours and 30 minutes--my time was 2:25:04.  It was definitely a great day.

I'm really thankful that God graciously gave me ability to run the entire half marathon, but it would have been ok if He hadn't.  I'm glad He gave me perspective that morning as well.  So with that goal checked off the list, I guess I can turn 30 in 2013.  There's still several months left before then though so maybe I'll make a "3 before 30" list and if not, there are plenty of other whims waiting to turn into dreams or even goals during my lifetime...

Shannon and I before the race begins

Melissa, Ali, and Madoline were such great cheerleaders.  They were at Railroad Park, Avondale Park, and the finish line to cheer us on.  

Love the signs they made!!

At Mile 10, Shannon says, "That guy kind of looks like your brother."  I look over, and it is!  Such a sweet surprise!

Running to the finish!

My "Last Few Miles" Half Marathon Play List (don't judge):
Forever-Chris Brown
Eye of the Tiger-Stadium Jams
Party Rock Anthem
Strip Me-Natasha Bedingfield
Kernkraft 400 (Stadium Sports Chant)-Zombie Nation
Never Say Never-Justin Bieber
Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)-Beyonce
I Got a Feeling-Black Eyed Peas
Life is a Highway-Rascal Flats

3 Things

1.  I miss blogging.  There have been many times since school started that I've wistfully thought about blogging.  Since I feel behind on just about everything these days though, the blogs continue to remain unwritten (with today's exception of course).  When it comes to writing, journaling is my "first love" and primary means of processing so I won't compromise there.  Sorry blogging, you get the back burner when there are only so many hours in a day.  Hoping to get back into it more soon though even it it's just little thoughts here and there.

2.  So obviously, my life has been quite busy the last few months.  Teaching full-time and also taking grad school classes at the same time is not for the faint of heart.  Throw in the fact that it's my first year in the position of the gifted education specialist, and no wonder my life's been crazy!  Something that is both a challenge and a perk to my new job is that I get to basically create my own curriculum.  There are no boring textbooks that I am required to use, but there is also nothing to fall back on if I haven't had time to fully plan.  Although it takes a lot of time, it's mostly fun to be able to choose what I teach.  For example, I got to teach my third-graders all about New York City, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and impressionism (all things I love) recently since we are reading From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, one of my favorite children's novels.  I was discussing a lesson plan idea with my teacher-mother-friend, and she had a great extended analogy for my job:  It's like I am planning three different dinner parties all at the same time, each one with complicated menus and guest lists.  I've got to check the soup for one, adjust the dessert for the other, and change the seating arrangement for the third one all at the same time.  Since I am trying to plan engaging, enriching units of study that incorporate various academic disciplines and do this for three different grades and 70+ students, her comparison seemed like a great way to describe my job. :)

3.  Finally, I would like to say that random acts of kindness really can make people's day.  Recently, I was running late to a large school event and needed to find a parking spot quickly.  The closest parking was $5, and I was only staying at this event for less than an hour.  I hated to pay the money but really didn't have time to park further away and walk.  When I pulled up to enter the lot, I asked the parking attendant if faculty got a discount.  He said, "Well, they're really not supposed to...but go on," and let me enter for free! Small as it may seem, this made my day.  One little act of kindness can go a long way especially after a long day.

Secondhand Blogging

The return of school always means the inevitable decline in blogging.  While I have multiple blogs milling around in my head, I do not currently have the free minutes needed to write them.  So unfortunately, they'll have to wait for another day.

However, I did have time to read a great blog entry last week called "The Story We Tell Ourselves" by Jason Gray.  My friend Claire sent me this link, and it really encouraged and challenged me.  It also instantly resonated with me, being a lover of stories.  In the midst of my busyness, I'm trying to step back and ask, "What story do I want to tell today?" and "What story am I telling myself in this moment?"  Good thoughts to ponder...

The Day Before School Starts

Well, the first day of school is finally upon us.  (Much later than normal, thanks to the new state law.) About 700 students will arrive at my school tomorrow, excited and hopefully ready to learn.  Even though I've officially been back at work since the 8th and been working in my classroom & on curriculum even before that, it's still not the same.  We got to go out to lunch on those days and have flexible schedules.  If you're not a teacher, you can't fully appreciate how much it means to go out to lunch on a weekday.

So what did I do on this Sabbath day and the day before school starts?  I slept in.  I spent time with the Lord over a cup of hot tea.  I vigorously cleaned the house while listening to a talk from The Gospel Coalition in Spanish.  I went "back to school" shopping at the outlets and got an adorable khaki jacket (something I'd wanted for awhile) that was majorly on sale.  I met my brother at Starbucks.  I went to church and was reminded of who God is through the sermon, worship, and prayer time.  I went out to dinner with friends and laughed.  And it was all life-giving.

Easy Hash Brown Casserole

Back in January, I set a goal for myself that I would cook at least one new thing per month in 2012.  To  all my cooking friends this may not seem like much, but it's an attainable goal for me and challenges me to cook more even with my busy work schedule.  Some months I cook several new things and then other months, I cook something on the literal last day of the month. :) So far, so good though...haven't missed a month yet!

I knew August would be a busy month, and my Supko (former Bunko group that turned into Supper Club) team also was up for hosting in August so I made this yummy recipe last week.  It was really easy and also a hit at Supko that night.

London 2012: The Ultimate Sports Movie

I freely admit that I am a sucker for sports movies.  Cliché or not, I just love them.  Remember the Titans, Invincible, Chariots of Fire, A League of their Own, and even The Mighty Ducks are just a few favorite classics that come to mind immediately.  So not surprisingly, I love the Olympics.  Thanks to modern media, the Olympics are like a two-week long, emotional sports movie.  Throw in a great setting, authentic characters, and a quintessential theme, and you've got a hit (and a huge moneymaker for NBC).

The setting: As if the Olympics were not entertaining enough on their own, we get the added bonus of seeing the skyline and scenes of London each time there is a commercial break.  What could compete with that?  I love London and seeing that view just makes me happy.  My family and I were actually in London in 2005 when they were competing for the Olympic bid.  We saw signs all around the city that said "London 2012" so it's fun to look back on that now.

The characters:  One of the things that makes a great character is the reader or viewer's ability to relate to him or her.  While we may not be able to relate much to Kobe Bryant's life, all of the personal story clips and interviews make us feel like we can relate to most of the Olympic athletes.  Missy Franklin?  Amazing young swimmer, but also just a teenage girl who loves her friends and Justin Bieber.  Michael Phelps?  The most-decorated Olympian ever, but also a guy who can lose and experience disappointment.

The theme:  If Disney were sponsoring this movie, the theme would undoubtedly be "dreams can come true." Of course, this theme is a part of the Olympics, and it is definitely a huge part of why we love them.  However, I also think that when it is coupled with the theme of teamwork, it is even more powerful and moving.  Sports were a formative part of my childhood and youth, and that concept of "the team" is still something I love to this day.  Achieving a goal is awesome, but sharing that experience with other people is even sweeter.  Perhaps this is why I cried when I watched the women's gymnastics team celebrate winning the gold together, and why I love that Michael Phelps' famous 19th medal came from a relay team victory.

Ahh, the Olympics.  Cue the inspiring music now...

**To support my point about relatable characters and for your viewing pleasure, I am including a link to this video by the U.S. Swimming Team.  It made my day when I saw it, and yes, I have been known to make videos with my friends as well.

Escape to NC

Lately, it seems the pressures of reality have been closing in on me.  Despite grad school and looming big decisions, I decided to escape for a few days.  I took a 3-day weekend to just get away and enjoy a trip to North Carolina & the Blue Ridge Mountains.  My grandparents lived near Brevard, NC, for most of my childhood so I grew up going to the mountains several times a year.  Their home now belongs to our family, and we're so blessed to be able to visit the area whenever we like.  Due to living in Mexico though, it'd been more than three years since I was last there so a visit to "The Hemlocks" was way overdue.

Some highlights of the trip included: staying with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Sara (and her husband Matt) in Cartersville, GA, on the way Friday night--enjoying hours of talking, a walk with their energetic dogs, and lunch at Swheat Market Deli...meeting up with my parents north of Atlanta and driving the rest of the way with them...buying local corn from the farmer who knew my grandpa...relaxing on the enclosed porch and watching sunsets...climbing Devil's Courthouse & Black Balsam Bald and exploring a bit along the Art Loeb Trail...loving the cool breeze...all the beautiful views from the Blue Ridge Parkway... stopping by Pisgah Inn...a mint chocolate chip milkshake at Rocky's Soda Shop in downtown Brevard...quality talk time with my parents...my mom spoiling me a bit...watching Midnight in Paris for the second time...sleeping...

Here's to escape weekends!  More to come! :)

Atop Devil's Courthouse

Black Balsam...my family's been hiking this trail since I was a toddler in the backpack

Returning to 35229

In my mind, college wasn't that long ago.  As if it were yesterday, I can remember starting college at Samford University.  I was a young, happy freshman ready to embark on four of the best years of my life.  I was excited about new friends & experiences, ready for many adventures.

However, the truth is that it wasn't yesterday.  In fact, I began college eleven years ago.  How did I get to be so old?!

Well, this week I started at Samford again.  I'm beginning a program for a Masters in Gifted Education. Even though I may still look like an undergrad, a lot has changed.  Here are a few random observations I've made:

• When I was a freshman, I had a standard desk-top computer that stayed in my dorm room.  This week, I brought my laptop to class with me.
• Health Services has moved (should you need to update your immunization form and not be late for your appointment).
• Cell phones are drastically different than they were in 2001.  Film cameras are rarely in use anymore either.
• Current Samford students need to appreciate the Pete Hanna Center (especially the work-out center) and O'Henry's Coffee because I sure would have loved to have them in my day.  *I am taking full advantage of having a student ID again though and have already worked out there twice.

I've also noticed that there are some things that haven't changed:

• The campus is still beautiful.
• The bathrooms on the main floor of OBB are still an awful orange that doesn't go with the tile.
• I STILL have class in Room 233, even though there are only 6 people in my class instead of 45.
• There's nothing like a trip to the Food Court and Chick-fil-A during a break from class. 
• Everyone, from professors to students, is still genuinely nice and friendly.

So even though I may not be as excited as I was the first time around, I'm thankful for the opportunity to study at 800 Lakeshore Drive again, and I'm thankful to be a part of a community that seeks to live out its motto "...for God, for learning, forever."

Here Is Our God

Several months ago in the spring, my mom asked me if I'd like to attend The Gospel Coalition's national women's conference this summer in Orlando, FL.  My church in Tallahassee was taking a large group, and my mom graciously offered to pay for me if we wanted to go and make it a mother-daughter weekend as well.  Since I love both great Biblical teaching (which TGC is well known-for) and quality time with my mom, it didn't take me too long to say yes.   While I was very much looking forward to those aspects of the weekend, I was a little wary of being around almost 4,000 women in one large hotel (seemed like too much estrogen).  However, the conference leaders said from the beginning that this was a conference "for women, but not about women," and they were right.

This was a conference about the Lord.  Period.  "Here Is Our God: God's Revelation of Himself in Scripture" was the theme for the weekend, and it truly epitomizes what it was all about.  Eight plenary session speakers walked us through Exodus 19, I Kings 8, Isaiah 6, Psalm 40, 2 Corinthians 12, Matthew 17, Revelation 4-5, and Revelation 21-22.   I loved how each conference speaker always pointed to the Gospel and to Christ.  But it's not just because the "gospel"is a part of their name though--it's because Christ really is preeminent in all of Scripture.  As the Jesus Story-Book Bible says, "every story whispers His name."  And so what I came away with from this weekend was not so much lots of practical challenges and inspirations (although I did receive some of those especially from the workshops I attended), but simply a bigger picture of who God is.  A more all-encompassiong understanding of the fullness of our HOLY, MAJESTIC, GLORIOUS GOD who also came to dwell and die among us as the incarnate God so that we might live with Him forever.  Hallelujah!

The week following the conference was a difficult one--some of the challenges I was expecting, but one was a complete surprise and the kind that can really "shake your world."  In each circumstance though, the Lord gently yet strongly brought back to my mind the truth from that weekend.  He alone is our Anchor, and He is unshakable and greater than I could ever imagine--a Rock worth trusting.  Even now, I can't fully articulate or explain it.  I'm simply grateful for how God enlarged my faith through that weekend.

Another wonderful aspect of the weekend was the corporate worship time, led by Keith and Kristyn Getty.  Their band hails from Ireland, and they are incredibly gifted.  From both a musical and lyrical standpoint, their songs are a blessing.  Here's one of my favorites ("Still, My Soul, Be Still") that I've been listening to a lot lately:

Lastly, the weekend really was a sweet time to share with my mom.  Not only being there in the moment, but also now since then as we reflect on the conference, it's been neat to share and process that together.  It was also special to spend time with Kate and Cassidy, two of my favorite Tallahassee friends.  Since Kate's heading to the mission field soon, it was especially a treasure to spend time together.  Here's a pic of all four of us:

Sounds of Summer

Today I woke up early before my alarm to a wonderful, long-awaited sound: thunder.  It's been a long time since it stormed in Birmingham, and with temperatures above 100 several days in a row, I was ready to welcome the thunderstorm regardless of any sleep deprivation it might cause.  Since I grew up in Florida where frequent thunderstorms are almost synonymous with summer, booming thunder and cracks of lightning are two of the quintessential sounds of summer to me.  After the storm died down, and I sat listening to the soothing sound of constant rain while I journaled and prayed, a favorite verse came to mind:  "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." (Psalm 116:7)  I needed to be reminded of this truth this morning, to be still and renew my mind.  Yesterday, the calendar flipped to July which means summer is half over for teachers, and this sent me into momentary panic over all the things I haven't gotten done yet.  The truth is time is fleeting, and I probably won't accomplish everything I hope to this summer.  Isn't it always that way, though? Whether it's a Saturday or a summer, we never seem to cross everything off on our ambitious to-do lists.  So while I'm still praying for motivation and wisdom on how to prioritize, I'm also trying to not feel guilty when things remain undone and to simply enjoy the moments of summer.

When I'm delighting in the present, I hear various sounds of summer: happy shouts and screams from my neighbors and I as we watch Spain win the Euro Cup, all decked out in our España apparel... the refreshing mini-cascade of raspberry lemonade filling a glass... children's excited voices as they pick blueberries at the farm... quality conversations over lunches with friends... laughter while attempting to play tennis...

What are some of your favorite sounds of summer?

Just for Fun

Here is sampling of some of my water bottles.  All of these have been given to me by family members, friends, or students.  Notice a common theme? :) I think they know me pretty well...

Being Cayli Again

When I lived in Mexico, my Spanish name was "Cayli."  It's pronounced like the English name "Kylie," and I came up with this nickname as a hybrid between my first and middle name because "Christen" in Spanish sounded very similar to one of the other missionary's name.  I love being Cayli and everything it entails, and I got to be Cayli again for one glorious week and a half in early June during my visit to Fresnillo.  

It would impossible to list everything I did during my visit, but God's hand was evident everywhere.  I was literally bursting with joy and practically giddy to be there again.  So many details were clearly answered prayers--from how God arranged my schedule to maximize visits, to how people were home when I dropped by.  It was a week full of deep conversation with close friends and also lots of laughter.  As I walked around Fresnillo, it felt so pleasantly familiar and like home even though I was aware that it's not my current home. The whole trip felt like a gigantic hug from the Lord and a sweet, precious gift.  What's even more amazing is that I really was ok when it was time to leave.  With my emotional history and after such an awesome week, you would think it would be horrible to say goodbye again.  I was a little sad and certainly would not have minded staying longer, but I also felt ok about going back to the U.S. and returning to my world in Birmingham.  After a tough season of transition, this is practically a miracle! My overwhelming feeling is simply joy and contentment, and I am extremely grateful for that blessing.

Some of my favorite memories from the trip included: getting tacos in the colonia with Cecy, worshipping at Iglesia del Gran Pastor again, eating carne asada several times, spending the night with Arika and talking for hours, getting to connect with and see lots of old Club kids, hanging out with Becca, Meredith, & the Jones, going to the pool with some of the youth group kids & trying to teach a few of them how to swim, remembering how hospitable and friendly everyone really is in Mexico, having fun with Sergio & Faby and also grieving with them as we remembered their son Jonathan, sharing lots of meals with different families, and many more life-giving moments...

Here are a few pics from my trip as well:

 Mexico City Airport--During my 5 hour layover, I had a reunion with my dear friend Joy (center) who I met last summer at MTI.  She's currently a missionary in Pachuca and came to see me at the airport!  We also met a new friend Emilie who was just beginning her own missionary adventure in Oaxaca.

 My beloved Fresnillo...pray for rain; they really need it!

 Hanging out with Joel, Briana, & Natali after a great lunch at David and Vero's

With Yesi, one of my sweet Club girls  

Cell Group Worship (right after a delicious carne asada!) 

With Claudia, Buga, Gloria, and Rocio -- their faithful family has been involved in the church and ministry for many years 

 Edgar, one of my former ÉXITO kids who has always had a special place in my heart and who has gone through some really tough things in life

 Lizbet, Paola, & Valeria--more sweet Club girls

 Brizeth & her adorable little sister Ximena

 

Former Club kids who are now faithfully attending youth group--so neat and encouraging to see them and other kids continuing to be involved and learning God's Word

 After church with Pamela, one of the girls I used to disciple

 No trip to Fresnillo would be complete without chiles rellenos!  Becca & César took me to get one Sunday after church, and the store still had some thankfully!

Meredith, Becca, the puppies, and I at their house where I mostly stayed during my visit, which used to be my house so I definitely felt at home! :)

An Adventure Gone Awry

I love adventure.  I love traveling, meeting new people, conquering a challenge, and the like.  However, I also know that sometimes and particularly in my experience it seems, adventures can be a bust.  At the very least, they don't turn out the way you expect they will.  When this happens, all you can do is enjoy the ride for what it's worth and then turn it in to a great story (like the time I threw up more than 20 times at the basin of the Amazon rain forest in Peru, but that's a story for another day).  So, here is the tale of the Cahaba Lily Festival 2012....

In honor of Memorial Day weekend and the beginning of summer, my friend Jennifer and I wanted to do something fun on Saturday, May 26th.  We both love the outdoors and thought it'd be fun to do something related to the water.  Canoeing seemed like a great idea.  When we heard about the Cahaba Lily Festival, we thought this would be the perfect half-day adventure where we could enjoy a canoe trip and experience life outside of Birmingham.

We drove to West Blocton, a poor, tiny town between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa.  When we arrived on a mostly deserted Main Street, we were not even sure we were in the right place.  We found the building that was the festival headquarters and entered a room that looked like it could serve as a town hall, fellowship hall, funeral parlor, or whatever else you might need.  A few people were talking, one or two individuals were selling photographs of the famous lilies, and others were milling around after finishing a potluck lunch.  There was also no river in sight.  Not exactly what we were expecting or driven almost an hour for!

However, we were not to be easily deterred so we asked a few people and then found out that there was a shuttle that took people to the Cahaba River and from there, we could rent a canoe.  We waited patiently with a young couple who also stuck out like us as not being locals, and then headed down to the river in a 15-passenger van. [A fun side note is that the shuttle driver turned out to be from Homewood and the husband of one of my co-workers.]  

Once at the river, we walked less than a mile down the canoe rental sight, paid the fee, signed our waivers, and waited...and waited...and waited.  Apparently, they must have done a great job advertising the festival this year and not quite thought through all the details.  They thought they had plenty of canoes, but they failed to give the participants a time limit.  Occasionally, a canoe would return, but there were still lots of people in front of us waiting their turn.  Finally, after almost an hour and a half, we realized we were not going to get to canoe today.  The last shuttle back to Main Street and our car was leaving in less than 30 minutes, and we still hadn't even received a canoe.  The ladies in charge graciously refunded our money and also apologized profusely.  

We took the shuttle back and then resignedly headed back to Birmingham, not too sad to leave West Blocton behind.  Of course, the day wasn't a total disappointment--Jennifer and I got to spend great quality time together, we caught a few sun rays while we waited on the bank of the river, and we have now both seen the "famous" Cahaba Lily in its natural environment.  We also decided the moral of the story is bring your own canoe or go to Oak Mountain State Park instead!

A canoe outing on the Cahaba River--a great idea in theory...

My adventure buddy Jennifer and me

The Cahaba Lilies in bloom

Cahaba Lily up close

Hundreds of lilies

A small country store in West Blocton

An old, abandoned building on Main Street

Highlight of the day: Snow Cones! 

One Year Later

Warning: This blog is very lengthy and maybe no one but my mom will bother to read the whole thing. That's ok though because I wrote it for myself, and it was therapeutic. 

Amidst the craziness of the end of the school year, May 15^th slipped by like the rest of the days but not without my notice.  For me, that day is an emotional milestone because it marks the day I left Fresnillo a year ago.  On May 15, 2011, I went to church and said goodbye to many dear friends and then left a few hours later from my home in Fresnillo.  While I surprisingly made it through church without crying (a fact that caused one of my teammates to lose a bet because he was sure I’d cry that morning as I’d already cried multiple times in those weeks!), I was literally sobbing when our caravan of vehicles pulled out of the driveway and headed halfway to the border.  We spent Sunday night in Saltillo and safely made it to Texas on Monday around lunch.  The rest of Monday was spent trying to sell the vans, enjoying Chick-fil-A and Ben & Jerry's ice-cream, and laughing together even in a bittersweet time.  Tuesday morning, May 17th, I was off on a plane headed back to Tallahassee by way of Birmingham.

That was a year ago, and yet the emotions and memories are still so strong and vivid in my mind.  I wish I could tell you that Sunday was the last day I sobbed like that, but the truth is that it’s been a hard year full of MANY days of tears.  However, as the months have gone on, I have cried progressively less and am not nearly as emotionally unstable as I was a year ago.  :)   Change and transition have always been hard for me, and this transition may have been the hardest one yet because of how my loyal heart was still in Mexico.  I’m very thankful though for how the Lord has continually made it clear that He wants me in the U.S. right now because while I’ve dealt with longing and an aching heart, I have not dealt with regret or doubt regarding my decision which would be even worse.

While it’s certainly been a tough transition, the Lord has also provided in so many ways this past year.  I think the biggest blessing has been close friends who have really listened to me, prayed with me, and patiently walked with me through this season.  Having a familiar job, faithful church community, and good living situation to come home to also all helped.  Being near my family again is of course a tremendous blessing as well, and there are countless other ways the Lord has shown His graciousness and faithfulness to me this past year.

Like most difficult seasons, it’s also been a time of deep spiritual growth.  In particular, several lessons have stood out to me from my debriefing time at MTI last summer and from rereading Shattered Dreams by Larry Crabb this past fall/winter.  Most (if not all) of the debriefing thoughts come directly from statements by George and Connie Blake, my counselors at MTI.  Here are some truths that especially resonated with me:

• The apostle Paul was depressed at times (see 2 Cor 1:8-9).  It’s important to be honest about where we are at emotionally.
• Transition is traumatic and normal.  Getting settled again can take years.  God is always there though and gives off His fragrance in the fog.
• God is the Father of compassion and feels our pain in His gut.
•  Having someone listen to you is healing.
• You can’t separate your two worlds now—they are forever both a part of who you are.
• Our hearts can keep loving more and more people, and it hurts every time we say goodbye.  Even in that, our Savior is big enough to hold our hearts together. 

While I enjoyed Shattered Dreams the first time I read it several years ago, it especially spoke to me during this season.  Crabb’s basic premise is that the highest dream we could ever dream is to know God and experience Him, but the problem is that we do not fully believe this so God allows our lower dreams to shatter in order that we might encounter Him more fully.  While I fully recognize that in the big scheme of life, the challenges of this year are quite mild compared to other shattered dreams, God encouraged me and helped me to feel understood and less alone through this book.  Some of my favorite quotes from the book include:

•   “Our shattered dreams are never random.  They are always a piece in a larger puzzle, a chapter in a larger story.”
• “The suffering caused by shattered dreams must not be thought of as something to relieve if we can or endure if we must.  It’s an opportunity to be embraced, a chance to discover our desire for the highest blessing God wants to give us, an encounter with Himself."
• “Shattered dreams subject us to a pain that weakens our stubborn grip on life as we want it and stirs our appetite for the thrill of God’s Presence.”
• “Tears have become my deepest form of worship.”
•  and this one

In conclusion, that is a taste of my year and all that God’s been teaching me.  It’s been a hard year, but a year that’s brought me closer to Jesus, and so it’s been a “hard but good” year.  I am also very pleased to say that I wrote this entire blog without crying or even getting teary-eyed -- now that's progress! :)  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus...

Winter & Spring Highlights

As of May 25th, it's officially my summer vacation!  This means lots of great things including more sleep, more time with friends, more time to read, and more time to blog.  Since the second semester seemed to never slow down, I thought I'd post a few pictures that I didn't have a chance to post earlier...

May 2012-Cass came to Bham for a fun visit and to observe at my school

 May 2012-Last "all 3 of us" roommate dinner with Nikki & Kara 

 April 2012-Trail Run at Rufner Mtn. with Laura, Jennifer, and Madoline where we won 1st-4th place in the 5K

April 2012-Quick day trip to the beach with the fam

 April 2012-Easter Sunday 

April 2012-Samford Friends Reunion in TN

March 2012-Trip to Spain as a chaperone  

 February 2012-Redeemer Girls Retreat at Madoline's lake house--such a sweet and encouraging time!

February 2012-Mercedes Marathon Relay, my first time to run 8 miles and my coworker Kiana's first 5K ever! (Our other 3 teammates had already gone home at this point--it was freezing that day!)

 December 2011-Trip to Jacksonville Beach with my family; I loved walking on the beach for hours...

 Christmas Eve, 2011-My mom surprised me with authentic tamales (made by some Mexican friends in Tallahassee) because she knew I'd be missing Mexico and tamales this time of year.  So thoughtful and special!

Dreamland Bar-B-Que

When I decided to go to Samford, there was a man at my church in Florida who told me I had to go to Dreamland Bar-B-Que.  He had gone to the University of Alabama and was a hard-core fan of both the Crimson Tide and Dreamland ribs.  For the next several years, every time I would see him at church during one of my college breaks, he would ask hopefully, "Well, have you been yet?" I would politely smile and usually say something about how barbecue really wasn't my favorite.  Clearly, I didn't choose a college based on the local favorite food because (much to my disappointment) we always had BBQ at Samford's big events like Dinner on the Dirt, Family Day, etc.  

Well, I decided that after almost nine years of living in Alabama, it was time to give Dreamland a try.  Although there is one in Birmingham, I thought I might as well go to the original one in Tuscaloosa.  So, my brother and I ventured here after church on a warm April day a few weeks ago.  The first thing that surprised me was that Dreamland is in the middle of nowhere.  In my mind, it would be very commercial and nice maybe a little like Jim n' Nick's, and it would also be close to the Alabama campus or downtown.  Nope.  It's just tucked away in a rather poor neighborhood of Tuscaloosa where there is an odd mix of industry and run-down houses.  I also thought it would be super crowded since it's so famous.  Nope-wrong again.  This explains why I got a rather odd response when I called asking if they did reservations.  There were plenty of people eating there, but there was still a lot of empty tables ready for hungry customers.

We seated ourselves at one of the outdoor tables, and I looked over the small menu.  It's a good thing I had already decided on their famous ribs because there were not a lot of other options.  The service was friendly and fast though, and there was an interesting variety of people eating there ranging from a family with kids to a large triathlon team.  The ribs were fairly tasty and came drenched in a sauce that was both spicy and sweet.  Plain, white bread also accompanied the meal which offset the spiciness nicely as long as I tried not to think about how bad this addictive bread was for me.  However, the best part was definitely the side dish of banana pudding I ordered.  I may not be a big barbecue fan, but I absolutely love banana pudding, and this Southern version of it was quite delicious.

If you're looking for a good, authentic Bar-B-Que restaurant in Alabama, Dreamland is your place.  As a bonus, you'll also be able to cross of one item on the "100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die" list.  This concludes my first Dreamland experience, which was also a cultural experience for me.  I think there is only one appropriate way to end this post, as much as it pains me to say it, "Roll Tide."

 

Confession

Two weeks ago, I visited my brother in Tuscaloosa and went with him to his church there, RiverWood Presbyterian.  This "Confession of Sin" was printed in the bulletin, and it has piercing truth that really hits home if you're anything like me...

My Father, hear my confession of sinful desires: I desire more money without demands on my wealth; I want to be influential without assuming more burdens; I want to be powerful without accountability; I want all people to like me.  I want more recognition; I want to be thought of as smart; I want to be thought of as kind; I want to be thought of as witty.  I want my kids to not embarrass me; I want my kids to do well so that I will look good.  I want my spouse to serve me and see things my way.  I want to be selfish while appearing sacrificial.  I want to be superior to people while appearing humble.  I want people to want to be around me.  I want people to think that I am a hard worker.  I want professional admiration.  I want to appear carefree, while anxiously maneuvering and scheming.  I want to be considered as unique, without being strange.  I want control.  I want to matter.  I want to be loved without being loving.  I want to be associated with successful people.  I want comfort.  I want stability.  I want predictability without the boredom of routine.  I want nicer clothes.  I want to be relevant.  I want to have a speciality.  I want to win while seeming to be a team-player.  I want ease without seeming lazy.  I want to give advice while appearing to be a good listener.  I want affluence without seeming elitist.  I want to associate with poverty and pain without inconvenience and trouble.  I want holiness without having to give up my impulses.  I want to seem passionate while simultaneously self-possesed.  I will accept being a fraud as long as I am undiscovered.  I feel I can manage my own sin so that it will not become destructive or out of control.  I want intimacy without vulnerability.  I want to be productive without becoming obsessive in focus. I want to be a leader without assuming the responsibilities of being one.  I don't want wisdom as much as wanting to be thought of as wise.  I want my anger to be seen as righteous.  I want my impatience to be seen us urgency.  I want others to change while not demanding the same stringency upon myself.

My Father, what I desire is You, but I have not known it.  I have pursued inferior longings. Forgive my heart for inappropriate loves, desires, and idols.  Change my heart, and may you work in me to pursue You alone.  Through the work of Christ and the Spirit within me, Amen.

Momentos de España

Over Spring Break, I went as a chaperone with my mom's high school Spanish students to Spain. Perhaps because I'm fortunate enough to have been there before or perhaps because I was trying to capture "moments" for my brother who wasn't with us, I decided to focus on little snapshots this trip (both in photos and in memories) rather than an exhaustive, detailed list of everything we did. Hope you enjoy some of these moments now as well...

Miami Int'l Airport, 3.16.12: Just minutes before boarding our flight, I happily watched and cheered with other Florida State fans as the Noles won their first game of March Madness. :)

Since I can't usually sleep on planes (even overnight flights), this book was a great travel companion that made the long transatlantic flights bearable. Great story that probably deserves a blog in itself...

3.17.12, Toledo: ¡Estamos en España! After walking around the beautiful but cold cathedral, I walked outside to enjoy some sunshine and found this charming scene as well.

Snapping a pic with Sonia, Monica, & Nuria outside Toledo: The first time I met these girls was 14 years ago when Sonia was a toddler, Monica just a baby, and Nuria not even born yet. Our families have enjoyed a wonderful friendship for many years now. The last time I was in Spain, I stayed at their house.

The plaza in front of Museo de Reina Sofia: What the museum has changed its hours and is now closed on Sunday afternoons? No problem. We'll just enjoy the local entertainment and some Starbucks!

Parque del Retiro: the perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon! I also got to meet up with my friend Katie here, who's currently living in Madrid. Good times.

Salamanca: We climbed up a tower and were able to view the cathedral (both interior and exterior) from way up high, even though we still weren't to the top. Pretty impressive.

Justo Gallego's cathedral-in-the making, Madrid: Justo is in his 80's and has an amazing story. He was a monk who got tuberculosis. After he recovered, he was so grateful that he wanted to build a cathedral. He's been working on it for 20 years, mostly using his own money or scraps for materials. Justo says it's all for "amor de Cristo" and talked to our whole group about the importance of not getting distracted but staying focused on God.

Flamenco! Words cannot capture the raw emotion of this dance that originated from the gypsies, but I think the photograph gives a good idea...

The juxtaposition of winter and spring was evident throughout our trip. Here at Valley of the Fallen, the kids had a snowball fight. The next-day in Madrid, it was in the 60's.

The Sorolla Museum and Home: These cute, school-aged children were on a field trip and so precious as they attentively toured and listened. It was a sweet reminder to me that I really do like my job back home.

Ready for an adventure: A few of the girls and I rented bikes and rode along the huge new park by the river. This was one of my favorite afternoons.

Parque del Río: the sight of our biking adventure and where I went running several mornings with some of the track students. I loved this park! From the quiet, peaceful stillness in the mornings to the bustling, social feel in the late afternoon, it is definitely one of my favorite places in Madrid.

Some of my other favorite moments can't really be captured by a photograph because they were all the many times I got to speak Spanish throughout the week. Even though I had to try not to use my Mexican slang and struggled with my use of vosotros, I LOVED speaking Spanish all week. I was really encouraged by how fluent and natural it felt, too, because losing my ability to speak Spanish is one of my fears the longer I live away from Mexico.

Well, that's all for now. Just a taste of our trip but a little insight into some of my favorite moments. ¡Hasta luego, España!